Ratatouille

Ratatouille...not just an adorable Disney cartoon but a really delicious dish that takes advantage of the best that nature can offer in terms of colorful, tasty, and healthy vegetables.  There are a lot of great recipes for ratatouille and they all utilize the same primary ingredients- eggplant, tomato, bell pepper, squash, and basil.  The key is to use fresh ingredients for this dish.

I adapted this particular recipe from Alice Waters, Epicurious.com (and yes, perhaps a bit from the cartoon too).  The recipe takes a little bit of time because you want the vegetables to soften and develop deep flavors that are cohesive.  Another nice feature of this dish is that it keeps well for several days.  You'll see on the bottom that I used the ratatouille as a side to accompany a lemon & rosemary chicken dish.  For breakfast, I added it to my scrambled eggs.  Later in the week, I cooked ground turkey breast with the ratatouille for a quick dinner.

Ingredients
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2-3 zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 bell peppers (go for colorful ones!), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (should yield about 2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, minced or chopped finely
4-6 basil stems (stems and leaves attached) tied together with kitchen twine
8 basil leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons of fresh thyme
1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley
Red chili flakes (pinch)
Salt, pepper, oil

Instructions 

1. Place the eggplant in a colander and toss with some salt.  The salt will help extract excess liquid from the eggplant- should take about 20-30 minutes.
2. While the eggplant is draining, heat oil in a large, heavy bottom pan, or pot over medium heat.  Cook the zucchini, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes.  Add the bell peppers and continue cooking until cooked through and soft.  Remove the zucchini and peppers and set aside on a plate.  
3. Add more oil to the now empty pot and cook the eggplant.  Stir constantly and be mindful of the oil, adding more if necessary. Once the eggplant is cooked through and beginning to soften, remove from the pot and add the veggies resting of the plate.
4. Add a bit more oil and cook the onions.  Saute until soft and translucent- about 5-8 minutes.  
5. Add the garlic and a pinch of the dried red chili flakes. Stir for about 1 minute.
6. Put in the chopped tomatoes and any accumulated juices and let cook for another minute.  
7. Stir the eggplant, squash and peppers back into the pot with the tomatoes and onions.  Add the basil bunch and thyme.  Add salt and pepper and ix the vegetables together thoroughly.
8. Let the vegetables simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot/pan with a lid and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes, stir the vegetables from time to time.  
9. When all the vegetables are soft and thoroughly cooked, remove the basil bunch.  Add more salt and pepper if necessary.
10. Stir in the chopped basil and parsley, and serve with your favorite protein!  

Simple and Sweet Paleo Meatballs Smothered in Marinara Sauce

This is a pretty simple recipe but it's a warm and comforting dish for a cold January evening.   Instead of breadcrumbs, the almond flour will help keep the meatballs together and add some texture.  A simple side salad or some steamed veggies would be an awesome match to complete your meal. If you want to make more of the sauce, you can add spaghetti squash or strips of zucchini to have yourself a paleo spaghetti & meatball meal.  

Meatballs (makes about 26-30 balls)  
1/2 lb of ground beef
1/2 lb of ground pork
1 egg, lightly beaten.
1/4 cup of chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp of chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp of chopped parsley
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1/4 tsp of salt
2 Tbsp of almond flour

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

3.  Take about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and roll in the palms of your hands until you form a uniform ball.

4.  Place each meatball one inch apart on a baking sheet.

5.  Bake for 10 minutes and then add the meatballs to the marinara sauce simmering in low heat, where they will continue to cook.  If you don't plan to use the sauce and just want the meatballs, bake for another 5-8 minutes.

6.  Simmer the meatballs in the sauce for another 30 minutes.

Marinara Sauce